Wodonga Raiders battle the COVID effects in loss to Wangaratta Rovers

A patched-up Raiders were forced to forfeit the reserve grade match as 15 players through the three grades either had COVID or were isolating.

But, despite the enormous odds, Raiders were out-scored by only four points in the second half at Rovers' WJ Findlay Oval to fall 20.13 (133) to 13.5 (83).

Raiders were forced to shut the clubrooms on Thursday night as they tried to halt COVID's march, which also affected a handful of netballers, with president Mark Johnston quizzed during the game if a senior forfeit was a possibility.

"Come Thursday night, if this gets much worse, we might just have to lock the place up for seven days and see what happens," he admitted.

"It was a great effort by the boys to fight through the adversity and get a team up and running."

Proud coach Marc Almond said it's been the most unique time of his long coaching career.

"Yesterday (Thursday) was the most emotionally draining day I've ever had in footy, I looked up my phone last night and I lost count, it was over 100 calls in and out, it was emotional to navigate that," he declared.

"We didn't know what to expect from a scoreboard point of view and I said to the group, good things come out of hard situations if you want to approach it right, I'm lost for words actually (about how proud I am)."

Meanwhile, the O and M is as confident as it can be the other severely affected club in Albury will field all teams for Easter Saturday's away game against Corowa-Rutherglen.

"Full credit to Raiders on fielding 22 players in seniors and thirds and full marks to Albury, they were on the front foot," general manager Craig Millar said.

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Millar also revealed a club must have 14 players, plus two on the bench, to play.

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